Hudson maxim



(No Model.) Y

H. MAXIM. CARTRIDGE AND CHARGE THEREFOR.

No.` 540,326. Patenteqlune 4, 1895w INVENTOR 7&4, ,w ATTORNEY@ HUDSON MAXIM, OF NEW YORK, N., Y.

onnrmoee Ano CHARGE 'rn snaren.

SECIFIGATIGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 540,326, ldated J une 4, 1895. Application fina December leises. sei-in no, 493,658. p (No mann To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUDSON MAXIM, a itizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and'useful Improvements in Cartridges' and Charges Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to car-V tridges for small arms or rapid're guns and more particularly to the powder charges for such cartridges, it being understood, however, that the charges are not necessarily liniited to such cartridges.

The improvements contemplate the use of a powder charge of an impervious natur-eel impervious to the gases of combustion--as distinguished from powder charges which are granular in structure but in a compressed or cake form; such impervious powder, being, forinstauce, of the character described in my Letters Patent No, 411,127, dated September 17, 1889 which consists of an impervions'colleid of pyroxylin made by means of a volatile solvent ot the pyroxylin, withA or without an admixture of nitro-glyceriue, providing an' amorphous mass which, while in a plastic condition, is capable of being shaped, molded or pressed to any desired form.

ln carrying out my invention, this impervious powder charge is formed preferably .in long cylindrical or prisinatic rods having a plurality i longitudinal perforations extend` ing trein end to end of the rod and which rod of the required diameter may-be cut into the proper lengths adapted to the cartridge shell or case with which the charge is to be used; or the rods may he made in the rst instance of the proper length for the shell or case.

The exterior of the powder charge is incased,

covered or coated with'an envelope prefer-vv ably of some'oinbnstible niaterialpless read- -r-ily consumed',tliad'thepowder charge, but

which will .ultimately be entirelyconsumed with the latter part of` the charge, and after the ball has started, so that no nnburned maf y terial wiil remain in the spent shell or in the gun barrel to cause thefonlingof it. l The Apowder charge with or wit-limit 'the incasing envelope is such as to forni anlinterior spa-ce or chamber between its exterior and the surrounding wall of the cartridge shell or casor so that the gases of combustion of the powder tent before the initial movement of the ball through the gun barrel takes place. The 0pposite ends ofthe powder charge may be concaved or cup-shaped, the one end to conform better to the base of thecartridge shell and the pocket for receiving the iguiting cap, and between this end of the charge and the igniting cap there is preferably interposed a wafer composed of a suitable fulminating compound and preferably such as is set forth in my pending application, Serial No. 486,978, filed Octoher 2, 1893, and composed lof an agglntinated mass of a. fultniuate and an explosivo base, which` wafer extending over the ends of the `several perforations through the charge will insure thecommunication of the flame of the igniting cap to the charge throughout theperfoi-ations. The opposite end of the perforated powder charge is grooved or channeled trans-v versely to permit the gases of combustion from the several perforations to pass intothe cham* ber surrounding the charge, while the concave at'this en d of the charge also provides a space for the accumulation of the gases from the several perfor-ations at the rear'` of the ball or projectile. Any proper wad is interposed between the rear of the ball and the 'front 'end' of the powder charge. f

With this general stateinentof the improvement a detailed description thereof will now be given, reference being had tothe accompanyingy illustration, containir'i` practical f embodiment of the invention, in whichm Fgure 1 isa longitudinal sectionallview;

Fig. 2, an end View, enlarged, of the front of the powdercharge; andFig. 3, a cross-section on the` line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and-5 are perspective views showings, respectively, the

powder-chargewthout and with an envelope.4

, `The improvement-is-illustratedwitl1 a carv tridge shell o1-'case A, cfa well'f known form,

,having a body portion a which, lear itsfornate cap d as iscdmnionl f The powder charge C is preferably prepared l y nin theforni ,of a cylindrical oiiprsmatic rod.' ci a diameterthat will permittherodt'he eedily'loadedinto the Shell through thl.

95 ward end, contracts `to a neclib, that is nef.' ran ed ,to 'receive'the ball or projectile ,Bg whi e vthe rear-'end ot the she1lhas fa "closed headc 'providingareeat for a suitabletnlnet-:1 v p l.

- wzoo central position with respect to the larger diameter or body portion c of the shell and thus l'orui the surrounding annular' chamber e. The charnel) is also formed with a uuin'ber of "longitudinal perforations i extending from to end to endodthe rod or muss and openingr outwardlyntitsopposite ends. The perforationsA are pr ter-ably so disposed through the rod aste lea ve equaldnasses ofthe explosive mate:` rial surrounding each perforation so that the 1'5 llame of'combustiou communicated to the eX- plosive along each ot the perforations will gradually consume the mass and bythe time the perforatio'ns have become so much enlarged as to meet, practically the entire mass 2c willhave been consumed; and in this manner the areaot explosive along each perforation exposed to the flame of combustion has gradi ally ii =reased so that an accelerating'propuln sive action upon the projectile isinsured.

.The rear end and preferably also the front end of the charge is conoaved or cup shaped as shown 'in vFin'. l, the rear end being` thus adapted to better fit over the inwardly projecting seat portion of the head for receiw 3o ing; the fulminate cap as before described, which formation serves with the neck l) as a means for holding; the charge C in a fixed cen- I trai position Within the shell. x

' 'lhe forward concaved end of the charge is 5' provided with 'transverse Vchannels m which serve to connect the 'iront end of the several perforations with the chamber c surrounding s the charge and thus permit a freeescape of 'the ga "i" combustion frein the perforaae tions in the concat/ed front end into said chamber. v

Yletvveen the rear end ot the charge C and the head c of the shell there is preferably interposed a dish. or t afer n of a tulniinating compound such ne that before referred' to, which disk or water overlies the rear ends nt' the perfor'tions through the mass and is ted to insure the communication ot the i ing darne ot the fulrninate cap d to the 5o surface of explosive 'at each ot the per- 'orations and. thus provide for the siiuulta noone combustion ot the charge along each perforation.

The front end oi the charge@ has a Wad 0 inserted between it andthe projectile B.

ln order to prevent 'the llame of the initial combustion ot. the charge or of the fulininate d or of the wafer n from communicating to the exterior of the cylindrical charge (Lsuch (5o exterior is in' the preferred form incased, coated or protected hy envelope r of come combustible material. 'which will ultimately be wholly consumed by the heal; of the gases of combustion accumulated in the chamber e, o5' out which. will be less readily burned than e neck. li andv ci a len'th suited to l' combustible envelope r may be Celluloid or other suitable material or substance, which maybe applied to the exterior of the charge in any proper manner according to the nature of the coatinff. such that its combustion will take place after the hall or projectile Bhas started in its have aided' in preventing the too rapid disintegratio'nl of the Icharge C and its entire collapse under the pressure of the gases of co1nbustion before t itsv in'oveinenb. I v

The surrounding annular chamber e iu which the gasesot combustion readily accumulate affords means by' Which the accumuconnteract the disrupting effect of the gases Within the perforations and thus the charge is prevented from' breaking down and falling the accelerating action of the otherwise grad-v nelly increasing formation of the propulsive .gases ture of this invention is the provision -of a powder charge in the forni ot a single solid and impervious piece which is non-friable and of breaking or injury as is the case with a `granular cake, and which may be introduced into'the shell without involving in the loading operation any measuring of the amount the said solid piece being the measure of the strength of the charge; neither is any ramxning or solidilication of the explosive charge `rendered necessary as a part of` the loading operation. Loaded cartridges may also, when provided with myiinproved explosive charge be readily dismantled, the said charges being capable of 'being individually removed from their shells and handled without inconventence or Waste. v

'What is claimed is- -r forated explosive charge providing,r a chamber Within the shell surrounding said Acharge and with which the perforation orperforations communicate, as set forth.I

2. A cartridge'shell having a contained lon7 gitudinally perforated' explosive charge protected on its exterior by an envelope and providing a chamber Within the shell surrounding said charge and with which the perforations communicate, as set forth. y

3. An explosive mass in cylindrical rod form and perforated longitudinally having a concaved front end forming a chamber with which the perforatiouor perforations communicate, as eet forth. I

noch and a fulminate cap pocket, andv a contained explosive charge in rod form adapted the explosive toi-ming the charge itself. "Ihis to said contracted neck and having a con The envelope o, also, will be.

he ball has fairly started inI lated gasesy on the exterior of thechargfe may4 to pieces too rapidly andthereby tend to vary lt will be observed that an important teuf tough and may be transported and handled i independently of their case without liability ot the expiosive,` the'predeterinined size orV l. A cartridge shell having a contained per.

movement along the gun barrel and thus will Il. cartridge shell having a contracted l sition within the shell, as set forth.

5. An explosive mass in rod form and per- `forated longitudinally having a concaved 7. A cartridge comprising a shell, a projectile, and an explosive charge in said shell piece of less diameter han the interior diameter of the shell, as set forth.

frontend and transverse channels at said end, I In Witness whereof I have'hereunto signed as set forth.

G. A cartridge shell having a contained explosive charge perforated longitiidinaily, an iguitiug means and an igniting disk interposed between said means and the perforated und of the charge, as set forth.

l my name in the presence of two witnesses. Y HUDSON MAXIM.

Titnessesz E. L. TODD,

H. N. LOW.

cousistingof asolid lon itudinallyperforated I 5 

